Bouquet
by Emworm
Summary: She catches the bouquet and then finds him.


Bouquet

She has always loved weddings. What they mean, a union between two people, in life, in love.

But, as friend after friend got married (Ruby and then Ashley) with babies quickly following she starts to wonder: "Will I ever be that lucky?"

"Will it ever happen to me?"

It is at the wedding of Belle and Gold while watching the groom shamelessly steal a kiss that she decides she is done. No more.

And then,

She catches the bouquet.

"Your turn next." A handsome stranger with crystal blue eyes smiles. He's the best man, relaxed and comfortable in a light grey suit, a crisp white shirt highlighting his neck ever so slightly.

"I doubt it." She laughs, placing the flowers on the bar and walking forward to extend a hand.

"Mary-Margaret."

He smiles radiantly, his hand lingering on her own for a lot longer than either of them intended.

"David."

"It's nice to meet you David." She says honestly, cheeks blushing. "So, how do you know Gold?"

"Would you believe we were college room-mates?"

"GET OUT!"

He laughs again, that whimsical laugh unable to take his eyes of her or that silky white rose dress she's wearing. "True story."

"Yeah Rumple and I go way back."

"How do you and Belle?"

"She is the school librarian, we got chatting over lunch- three years and one tequila later- TA DA!"

"So, you're a school-teacher." It isn't a question, more a delighted fact "What ages?"

"Fifth grade. I'm waist deep in crazy glue and art projects but, I love it."

The conversation has been flowing for over twenty minutes with the nice undertone of obvious chemistry flowing between them.

Everyone can see it, even them.

Hours pass and last orders are called.

"Mary-Margaret, Do you want to get out of here?" He asks adorably, deciding to take the risk that she might throw a drink in his face.

She smirks, one night, no strings with a man like him? Everything in her rational head screams "NO! This won't end well." Good thing she always listens to her heart.

"Absolutely." Mary-Margaret says, leading him away leaving the red roses behind.

Red. It is the colour of passion she thinks fleetingly, as he kisses her over and over heated; crushing kisses which almost bring her to her knees.

She kisses back, linking their lips, taking in how it feels to be touched by David Nolan. It feels like a meeting of souls, two lost spirits seeking comfort between the sheets of 715.

"Just tonight." She breathes as he looms over her a slow trail of kisses beginning from the neck to another land completely.

He is seriously good, soft, slow sensual. "No chance Miss Blanchard I don't do one-night stands. I'm an 'all or nothing' kind of guy." He strokes her face and kisses her again, savouring her giggles.

When they recover he looks at her and thinks. "I'm in trouble now. Seriously, I can't let a woman like that go."

"What?" Mary-Margaret asks, is it her hair? Her breath? (Because she woke up early to brush her teeth).

"You're beautiful."

Uh-oh!

"Can I call you?"

"I- I don't think that's a good idea." Mary-Margaret stammers at check- out time giving her key back to the receptionist avoiding David's gaze

"Thank you for staying at The Princess Hotel. Please feel free to come again."

Mary-Margaret looks embarrassed but, he catches her wrist lightly pulling her behind the giant spider plant, her heart races at his actions.

"David."

"No, you _have _to hear me out." He has not done anything wrong and in her heart she knows that so, she does.

"Okay."

Taking a breath, David looks into her eyes. "Last night was great. It was so great in a way that I can't even fathom." The emotion in his voice makes it perfectly clear he is talking about a lot more than the mind-blowing sex. "We have a _connection_."

She nods unable to deny that. "I know."

He rubs his nose up against hers as she sighs happily. "Don't you think we owe it to ourselves to explore it?"

"I think… I'll see you soon." And then, in the most bold way she gives him a soft kiss that clings to his lips leaving his jaw on the floor as she walks out with barely a glance in his direction.

Two weeks and a nervous drive to Boston later they are making out like a couple of teenagers the red wine accompanying the steaks he cooked them making them dizzy.

Or is that the lust? Maybe both.

She likes his apartment, it's cool. The right mix of sci-fi/ hero appreciation and stunning photographs of the sights and sounds of Boston.

"So much for me not kissing you tonight." Mary-Margaret chuckles between the kiss as he pulls back. "Excuse me! I think I'm offended."

"You think?" Using the opportunity to kiss him again as she guides him down into the couch.

"Okay, okay not that offended."

"Charming."

"I told you. I have a name." He flashes a smile in between reaching up to pull her further into him.

"And I told you. I don't care". She pecks at his nose "Charming suits you."

Yes, he can definitely live with that nickname.

Six months passes like the breeze.

A day on the water nestled in between him while sharing tuna fish sandwiches their idea of celebration.

"Where do you wanna be? In five years where do you want to be?"

"Hmm. Well Uma…"

"You'd leave me for Uma Thurman!" She slaps his chest when their food is gone.

"No. I know where I want to be." "Mmm right here with you. With a baby."

This should scare her. it would have scared her before she met him so she decides to return the sentiment.

"David, I love you." It's the first time she has said it and it won't be the last given the infectious smile on his face.

"I love you too."

And they fall into each other's arms the sun warming their bodies because, nothing can beat this high.

The problem with highs is. You always come crashing down to Earth.

"What's wrong with me not wanting you to give everything up for me?" He asks loudly, her announcement that she has given her notice in order to be with him.

Her hands are on her hips defensively. "I am not sacrificing everything."

David pulls away not wanting to be too in her face. "Your friends, your job it's in Storybrooke."

"My _home _is with you. You stubborn idiot." She emphasises running at him and placing her arms around him.

"My home is with you."

"Story-brooke, Boston Antarctica! Honey, I just want to be with you." She cries passionately.

"It doesn't matter as long as I'm with you."

"Oh I have been the biggest fool haven't I?"

"Just a little." He strokes away a tear from her eye and tugs her closer to him. She is breath-taking to him even in a cosy pink sweater and jeans. Mary-Margaret draws his attention.

"_I'm serious David, _You know I wasn't happy in my job, these past few weeks I've barely seen you. I don't want you to have to keep coming over here only to leave again in the morning."

"I love you. Mary-Margaret Blanchard." He says purposefully, looking like a prince in red and black checked flannel as they hold each other in her living-room kissing her forehead.

She looks up at him with bright eyes. "Then stay."

He holds her gaze wonderfully. "Stay with me."

It's taken her twenty-eight years to find a man like David Nolan, someone who makes her laugh, kisses her until she is breathless, who held her for three days straight when her childhood nanny Johanna passed away unexpectedly. This is the man she wants to share her life with.

This is the future father of her children and by the way he stares at her and just smiles, she knows he wants it too.

"Yeah?" Mary-Margaret asks hopefully.

"Yes, yes. Mmm." The rest of the sentence is lost as she kisses him long and languidly holding on as he scoops her up and takes her to their now (official) bedroom.

Later, they are under the sheets, sweet kisses pressed to every inch of their skin when he draws her up to him.

"Hmm?"

"Mom's going to be so happy I am moving here." Yes, oh gosh, how could she forget that his lovely mother was here? She loved Ruth, several dinners and evenings out cementing the already existing friendship between the two.

"She's not the only one."

"Yeah?" David smiles darkly and then steals a long kiss.

"Yeah." She says, when she gets her breath back, stroking his chin, the scar he got when he snuck in her apartment in the dark to surprise her in their early days.

_She felt arms around her in the dark of her apartment and panicked. What if this was someone coming to attack her, steal from her?_

_A swift swipe to his jaw knocked him back and gave her time to run and switch on the light._

_And when she did, she was horrified to see her boyfriend on the ground nursing his jaw. "DAVID! OH MY GOD!" She helped him up and stroked his cheek._

"_Hello to you too." He chuckled._

"_Are you okay?" She panicked "I thought you were an axe murderer or thief or… I don't know what I thought!"_

"_I'm so sorry."_

"_It's okay. You can kiss it better. After I get a band aid." He chuckled as she helped him to the couch._

"_It's going to scar."_

"_Then I'll have a permanent reminder of a crazy woman on my skin."_

_She sighed; rubbing the now protected skin and kissed him sweetly, lingeringly._

"I freaking love this scar."

"Me too."

Another year of relative bliss goes by and throwaway comment by her "friend" Regina about her lack of a ring and he knows.

This is it.

"David, what are you doing?" She asks with tears in her eyes, as he kneels down on the hard-floor of the town hall, looping his mother's ring on her shaking finger as their friends gasp.

"Will you marry me?"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

And everyone laughs and whoops as he lifts her up and kisses her senseless before slow-dancing the night away.

The next wedding she attends is her own.

The flowers she holds.

The way he looks at her.

It is that look that says: "I promise to love you for the rest of our lives. For every moment. _For all eternity._"

It's the look she has waited her whole life to give.

And it is so easy.

He makes love easy.

"I love you."

"I love you." Mary-Margaret _Nolan _affirms melting into their first kiss as husband and wife.

They paint the nursery a lovely sky blue. Clouds painted carefully on the feature wall while the rest of the room is filled with things for her.

For Emma

They want the baby that's now happily resting in her womb to follow her dreams.

Like they did.

"Em-ma." Mary-Margaret coos as she bobs their six month old. "Look, look at the pretty boats!" David presses a kiss to their daughter's forehead and then his wife's having decided that watching the boats would be a lot safer and less expensive for this year at least.

Emma touches his face, or pokes it and gives a definite smile. "There's my girl!"

"She is _so_ going to have you wrapped around her little finger."

"Like mother, like daughter."

"You're lucky I love you Nolan."

"Yes, yes I am."

He holds them close and that's when she knows, catching that bouquet, was the best thing that has ever happened to her.

Her family is the best thing that's ever happened to her.


End file.
